In the backdrop of the alleged massive theft of gold at the Sabarimala Ayyappa temple, the Hindu Aikya Vedi, an umbrella organization of various Hindu groups affiliated with the Sangh Parivar, will start a Namajapa (chanting of divine names) protest demanding the protection of Sabarimala from Monday onwards.
Hindu Aikya Vedi leader RV Babu on Sunday said here that Namajapa protests will be organized at temples in the state from October 6 to 12. He said thousands of Ayyappa devotees in Kerala will participate in the “Namajapa” protests against the gold theft scam at the Sabarimala temple. He said the protesters also demand the resignation of the Travancore Devaswom Board and a CBI investigation into the alleged gold theft scam in Sabarimala temple.
The Kerala unit of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) will also begin a statewide Namajapa (chanting of divine names) protest, demanding a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Sabarimala gold theft scam.
Meanwhile, the Sabarimala Karma Samithi has on Saturday lodged a police complaint alleging that the loss of gold cladding at the Sabarimala temple amounts to theft, criminal breach of trust and organised looting.
In the complaint lodged with the Sannidhanam police, Samithi general convenor S J R Kumar said the police should register a criminal case and probe the role of the Travancore Devaswom Board, its officials, Smart Creations, Chennai, and the people who received the stolen goods.
The Complaint says that it is well evidenced that gold cladding was done at the temple under the sponsorship of Vijay Mallya in 1999. However, the devaswom board handed over the gold-cladded copper plates to Unnikrishnan Potti for repair in violation of the established norms. Now, it has come to light that there was a reduction of 4.541 kg from the original weight of 42.800 kg when the claddings were returned.
It further says that the decision to repair the gold-cladded plates at Smart Creations, Chennai, was taken without inviting a tender and the material was handed over to Unnikrishnan Potti without following the procedure.
Vishva Hindu Parishad state general secretary Anil Vilayil has also filed a similar complaint with the Sannidhanam police.